


My Informant

by steponii



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Classic Lapidot, F/F, Limb Enhancer Peridot, Peridot's POV, Struggling to deal with the way her stupidly attractive informant makes her feel, also a little bit of a season 1 peridot character study, first-person pov, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-02
Updated: 2018-06-02
Packaged: 2019-05-17 04:44:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14825472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/steponii/pseuds/steponii
Summary: It should be a simple task: obtain some mission-relevant information from the captive Lapis Lazuli. But it’s near impossible to do when she keeps looking at Peridot like that.* A canon-compliant look into pre-Season 2 Lapis and Peridot while they’re together on board the gem warship headed to earth *





	My Informant

**Author's Note:**

> I had actually started to write this for genhedgehog's Lapidot Week day 1 classic lapidot prompt, but I am very lazy and dumb, so this is finished now about a week late. Better late then never!

Across from me, at the end of the conference table between us, sat Lapis Lazuli. A rare gem, cut during an era centuries before the conception of Era 2 gems like myself. I had not encountered a Lapis Lazuli like herself before, and through the acquisition of research on her type I know that she is to be a gem of exorbitant strength and capacity. 

I was fortunate enough to have discovered her and her association with the rebel group of gems by intercepting her transmission to Earth via a primitive wailing stone. I concluded that she must have knowledge of their base’s whereabouts and possibly other intelligence details that I couldn’t obtain during my previous reconnaissance mission. Thus, albeit not of her own volition, she has become my informant, and I am preparing to extract such information from her. 

Her eyes have averted mine since we boarded the ship. Her gaze rests downcast on the floor. From her demeanor alone, her resentment for me and for her situation is easily suggested. I expected as much, though this is my first real experience with interrogation in the field. However difficult Lazuli may prove to be during our excursion to Earth, the information she harbors is critical to the mission and must be obtained. 

Seated at the opposite end of the sizeable table, I watch her neutrally while mulling over the most efficient method for proceeding with her interrogation. I had no desire to harm Lazuli and had solidified this notion at the beginning of her capture - if it came to that, I would delegate such methods to Jasper. 

“I am now going to initiate your questioning,” I say. “I trust you know what our intentions are in obtaining information from you.” 

Lazuli’s brow furrows like this seems to provoke her. She does not otherwise acknowledge my speech. As she keeps focused upon some indistinguishable spot on the floor, I casually observe her form. Lithe and tall in stature, with a strong build and an air of adeptness; she surely must have been a formidable terraform during the war. 

My gaze lingers upon her upper half, and I notice how soft her hair seems to be. Ruffled and a bit messy, but well kept nonetheless, I find it to be rather charming. Glancing across her torso, I begin to take note of the ways in which her sundress accents her body very pleasantly.

I tear my eyes away from her figure. Entertaining such thoughts about a captive informant is blatantly unacceptable conduct for an interrogation. _Inappropriate clod._

Her face, still pointedly avoiding mine, displays a sullen expression. I admit, I had not anticipated that my informant would be so forlorn, so miserable; I had figured she would be more agreeable in fulfilling the Diamonds’ orders. Her bearing bemuses me, almost saddens me, yet I respect her resolve. I am very intrigued by Lapis Lazuli, and I question if it extends beyond a standard professional interest. 

I activate my touchscreen with a clenched jaw and tap to the information quota I had previously prepared. “It is understood that you have connections to the band of rebel gems on the Earth. It is in our best interest that I acquire some information from you regarding their whereabouts.” 

At this, Lazuli perks and her eyes raise to meet mine for the first time. I suddenly find myself straining to maintain a neutral disposition. Fixed upon me with cautious expectancy, I notice her blue irises foster a profound intensity. It’s rather endearing. I swallow hard.

Though she glares at me with vehemence, the blue gem remains silent. I rise from my seat at end of the table, but I do not yet advance forward. Her eyes, squinting with what I presume to be apprehension, track me as I move. 

“Lapis Lazuli,” I begin to speak, “I recognize the difficulty of this situation for you, and for that I empathize with you.” In truth, I obviously cannot relate to nor fully understand what it is like to be in captivity, but I am compelled to reassure her regardless. “I suggest you do away with any sentiments you may have for the rebel group in question. For the sake of your wellbeing and for the imperative necessity of this mission, I implore you to comply.”

Lazuli continues to study my face with an unwavering intensity, and I feel as though concentrated gamma radiation is being injected directly into my projection. _Stars._ I’m floundering. I begin to feel warmth prickling across my face and neck under her gaze. Her frustrating reluctance to engage with my questions must be exacerbating these disruptive feelings. Perhaps this session could benefit from an assertion of my control - a display of my authority to remind her that as the primary operator of this mission I am to be taken seriously. I start towards her slowly and deliberately, and she balls her hands into fists; her eyes flash with a concoction of emotions that I am not keen enough to identity on the spot. The stare of my informant is enough to cause my breath to hitch, and I pray to the stars that she did not take notice. Piteous. I will myself not to falter.

I reach the side of Lapis Lazuli’s chair and stand above her; her neck cranes up slightly to follow. While we exchange this charged gaze, I broaden my shoulders and extend my chest to subtly increase my intimidation factor. She abruptly breaks from her affixion to my eyes and turns away, bringing her legs up to hug them against her body. Blue eyes retreat again to the floor. I find that I much prefer looking right at them instead of at her guarded and downtrodden gaze.

I’ve taken notice of her movements; they are hesitant, tentative, but fluid and practiced. She bears similar mannerisms to that of the warrior gems I’ve encountered who have battled and returned from war with an altered psyche - some trauma that became ingrained into their character. I wonder what a Lapis Lazuli like herself could have endured to result in her current bearing.

Frowning deeply, annoyance blooms in my chest from these affectionate thoughts. My reflections on Lazuli are becoming egregiously unprofessional and offhand, and I know very well that such favoritism encourages leniency; that cannot be tolerated in such a high-stakes mission. This pathetic little infatuation I’ve developed for her should be discarded, lest I botch the interrogation and we can only hope to ever find the defecting clods who have been inconveniencing me from the very beginning of this Earth assignment.

The ambient droning of the ship’s machinery keeps the room from potentially suffocating silence. With a nonchalant reshifting of focus to my touchscreen, I break the quiet. “Okay. You possess knowledge of the approximate location of the rebel base, yes?” A simple question to preface our session, but again, Lazuli does not react. She tightly hugs herself and turns her head away. 

My eyebrow quirks in annoyance. After a beat, I increase my proximity to my informant and reiterate the question. My frustration manifests through my exasperated tone, and I wonder if it garners some intimidation. As anticipated, this all proves to be for naught as Lazuli remains distant and still. I scan her face, and her expression only yields despondency. Suddenly that rhythmic, mechanical hum of the ship seems intrusive and foreboding as it cuts through the increasingly strained silence. 

I’m losing control here, I realize. My authority as the mission’s captain is being undermined by my informant’s insubordination. I am currently _failing this task._ I should be more than capable of executing a simple interrogation protocol, but I’ve completely seized up like a lowly untrained _pebble._ Bubbles of rage, white and hot and overwhelming, flood my body; I pull away sharply, raking my detached digits through my hair and growling something guttural through my teeth. Lazuli quickly turns around, and our eyes lock again. Her eyes, ever expressive, disclose apprehension and tinges of fear. I’ve alarmed her.

I shake myself free from the encapsulating grip of my informant’s gaze and approach her with intent. Inches from her face - _ah, she smells nice_ \- I slip two digits under her chin to tilt her head up, level to mine. Her face contorts in disgust at the contact and she clasps her hands over the digits that rest against her skin.

“Look, Lazuli,” I speak sharply, scrutinizing every facet of blue in her wide eyes. “I do not wish to harm you. I do not wish to damage you by any means.” I press my digits upwards into the underside of her jaw, and she grunts with discomfiture at this addition of pressure. Both of her hands reach to grip my limb enhancer, but she does not attempt to push away. 

My voice raises pitch and I become louder, increasingly aggressive as my speech continues. “However, if I am unable to procure this information from you during these sessions, there will be consequences. Consequences against you, and against the sanctity of this mission. We will take action to ensure your compliance, as you now risk compromising our objective. Is this understood?” 

My words reverberate briefly against the metal walls of the conference room. Neither of us move. I myself am shaken from my explosive release of energy and consternation; I can hear the way in which Lazuli’s breathing trembles, and am suddenly acutely conscious of our close proximity. I retract my digits and Lazuli hastily releases my appendage, withdrawing quickly until her back is flush to the chair. She wraps her arms around herself - a favored self-comfort habit, it seems - and looks away.

The tension in the room is palpable and uncomfortable. I don’t expect her to respond, as I figure we’ve hit a wall in progress or potential. Obviously, I must reevaluate methods of interrogation and develop a pragmatically sound plan for the next session; this failure ought to be rectified with diligent adjustment and redressing, which will take at least a few hours to develop. 

“Well,” I sigh and regard my silent informant, “it is clear that nothing productive can arise from this at the moment. That is not your fault, by the way. It’s mine.” I realize that audibly directing blame to myself does not help in reinstating my influence as her captor, but I have no intentions of shifting my aggressions onto her. There’s no point in becoming upset with my informant due to my own incompetence in attempting this interrogation. 

“We shall share a brief respite before proceeding with the next session of questioning. You’re welcome to remain in this room until I return.” My eyes linger once again upon Lazuli’s form, remarking upon the grace and aesthetic appeal and she exudes even when curled into herself awkwardly on her chair. “I encourage you to consider more cooperation in the future.” I add, starting for the exit.

Glancing over my shoulder when at the room’s entrance, I see by her hunched silhouette that Lazuli is remaining steadfast in her resolve to block me out. I admit that her refusal to acknowledge my talking disappoints me, even beyond just how it negatively interferes with the mission. With a final fleeting glimpse of my informant, I close off the room and head to my quarters. There is much work to be done if I am to secure the information necessary to eliminate those pestering rebels.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The opening of the door disrupts the silence that had settled amicably inside the conference room, inside of which the water gem sat idly observing the expanse of the Milky Way up against the windows.

“Hello again, Lazuli. Shall we try again?”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you very much for taking the time to read my work. I've always wanted to develop Lapis and Peridot's relationship pre-Barn Mates - I think Peridot was totally flirting with Lapis during Barn Mates (i got your number *winks*), so I thought she may have acquired an infatuation for her informant during their time on the ship. Comments and criticism are very welcome.


End file.
